Warsaw
Slovakia’s health minister announced his resignation on Thursday in a bid to defuse a political crisis over the government’s mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Two minor coalition parties conditioned their stay in government on my resignation.
I do not want to make any obstructions therefore I am resigning from my position,” Marek Krajci told journalists.
“This is an act of responsibility,” the minister said. The SaS and Za Ludi parties had insisted on a reshuffle in the government led by Prime Minister Igor Matovic, chairman of the OLaNO party, following a controversial purchase of two million Russian Sputnik V vaccines.
Matovic called the departure “an immoral decision by our coalition partners” and insisted Krajci should stay in his post until the Sputnik V vaccination campaign was in full swing.
“We do not want anyone to block the usage of the Russian vaccine,” Matovic said.—AP
